


The Snow King

by strawberry_cider



Series: TMA Fairy Tales [1]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, F/M, Fairy Tale Style, Humor, Mild Gore, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining, Referenced jonmartin, References to Canon, Snow Queen Elements, referenced daisira
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:40:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22612687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strawberry_cider/pseuds/strawberry_cider
Summary: Tim's best friend, Sasha, goes missing and he goes on a journey to find her.
Relationships: Sasha James/Tim Stoker
Series: TMA Fairy Tales [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1971010
Comments: 6
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

“This was the place?” Tim asked.

“Yup!” Sasha said, excited. “Old Fishmarket Close!”

The two of them looked down the alley from atop of the stairs they were on. Had it not been day and the murmur of people comfortingly around them, Tim admitted it would have been very scary, even more so if there was a strange person over there masked by the darkness. Sasha snickered and skipped away, pulling Tim after her by the arm. Tim laughed too and matched her stride. Sasha had strange passions, but Tim was more than happy to accompany her if it meant seeing her be giddy and smiling.

Tim Stoker and Sasha James lived across from each-other ever since they were little. They used to play in the street until their parents dragged them home long-past curfew. Sasha would dare him to go in darker places and when they had sleep-overs she'd read him scary books she borrowed in mass from the library. She loved everything spooky and paranormal. For a long time she was thoroughly obsessed with this tale about a man who was a sort of stories collector. He lived in a land of permanent winter and he had a garden of beings frozen in place, which he kept as his personal museum. He had thousands of books and artefacts and only God knows what else. Sasha would sigh dreamily and talk about how she wished to have a collection like that one day. Life was pretty boring in their town. Sasha lived vicariously through books and rumours of strange happenings. She told Tim many times how she wished something happened to her too, that she too became part of a tale that would make rounds around the world. Tim wasn't sure he agreed, but he liked listening to her ramble. Sasha would say her land would be one of spring, not winter. She liked winter as much as anyone else, but she loved flowers much more.

As they returned home that evening, they parted ways at Sasha's front door. Her front porch was packed with flower pots and vases and miniature bushes. Above and around the front door was a glorious arc of blood-red roses. Tim smiled as he remembered that it was him who helped her gather the money when they were kids to buy that first shrub, the one to the left. He contributed to one of Sasha's most prized possessions and his heart swelled with pride.

Sasha gave him a big hug and closed the door behind her. Tim could hear her greeting her parents and he walked away to his own house. Inside, he saw his brother, Dan, very indiscreetly spying from the window.

“You've got it bad.” Dan said, pointing a finger at Tim's blushing face.

Tim couldn't even get mad, he just giggled and blushed harder.

It was early in the morning and everyone was getting ready for the day. Tim was cleaning around the house, when he heard Sasha shout outside, followed by a heavy thud. He opened the door and saw Sasha fallen down among the flower pots, clutching at her chest. Tim ran to her immediately and asked what on earth happened, scooping her off the ground. There was a tear in Sasha's blouse, in the middle of her chest where her heart would have been, but no blood or mark at all on her skin.

“What happened?” He asked, concerned and confused.

“I don't know...” Sasha croaked out, groaning in pain. She elbowed him in the chest and Tim groaned himself. “Don't touch me!”

“S-Sorry...” Tim said. “Wha... what happened to you?”

“I said I don't know. My heart hurts...” She said, struggling to get up. Tim watched her and furrowed his brows. Sasha looked different. It was still her, but the look in her eyes, her expression -

“What are you staring at? Get off my porch already.” She said.

Sasha changed since that day. She was no longer cheerful and friendly. She just let her precious flowers wilt and dry up. She no longer spent time with Tim or anyone else, no longer asked him to join her on visiting famous places. It was like the Sasha he knew and loved was replaced by a completely different one. He'd see her from afar, scowling, skin growing pale and periodically holding her hand at her chest with a hiss. Tim's heart hurt too. He felt so hopeless and useless. He should do something, but what? What was happening to Sasha?

The last time he saw her it was winter. The arc of roses became a sad, withered dark brown line. Sasha's skin was nearly as white as the snow on the ground. He and Dan heard her arguing with her parents one night, then storm outside and march down the main street. Sasha never returned and her parents panicked. The entire town searched for her, but she was gone. It was as though the ground split open and swallowed her up. It was theorised she tried to pass the river and the ice broke beneath her feet. By the time spring came and they could have searched the river, she would have been taken far away.

Tim lay in his bed, face buried in the pillow. His heart ached so much and his head was pounding from all the crying. He refused to believe Sasha was dead. She couldn't be dead. He couldn't have just let her die. He should have gone after her that night. He should have pushed through and remained her friend. He should have figured something out back then.

It must be one of those supernatural para-whatever she used to rave about.

That must be it.

He left a note for Dan explaining what he was doing. Had he told him in person, he would have been stopped before he could step out the door. He went to the river separating their town from the field ahead. The dirt road followed its winding shape and ran along it.

Did Sasha actually fall in it, Tim thought. The water was clear and shining in the sunlight. It tricked you into thinking it wasn't that deep. The sound of the trickle was calming, but loud, covering everything else, as the water flowed fast, taking everything with it. Falling in that river would be a really bad idea, especially on a winter night.

The sound of the rippling water covered the sounds of a cart coming down the road and Tim didn't notice it until it was passed right by him. It was pulled by an old mule that had seen better days. The coach drivers were two tall and bulky men. One of them had a serious, emotionless face and the other was smiling to himself. In the cart rode a young woman in a coat too thick for the current pleasant weather. He waved a hand at her drivers and they stopped the cart, despite facing her with their backs the entire time.

“Hello, young man!” She said with a shrill and sing-song voice.

“Hello, Miss.” Tim said.

“Would you be so kind as to help me?”

“I can try.”

“Wonderful! You see, I am looking for an institute that is supposedly nearby. It is an art gallery with sculptures and simply _beautiful_ statues! Do you happen to know about it?”

“Afraid not. I never heard of such a thing to exist nearby. The best you can find over here is maybe a scarecrow.”

“Oh, what a shame! I guess I'll keep looking.”

“Yeah... Hey, would you mind taking me with you?”

“But of course not! Hop in!”

Tim climbed in the cart and sat across from the woman. Upon getting inside he saw that it was full with chests, trunks, ripped rags, clothes strewn about and furs. Tim started to feel bad for the poor mule, that now had an extra weight to pull.

“Where are you heading, young man?” The woman asked, catching back his attention.

“I'm looking for my friend. She went missing a few weeks ago.”

“Oh my!”

“I have no idea where to start looking. My bet is that she ran away somewhere. Maybe she hitched a ride like I did. To some big city, probably.”

“Well, I'm sure you'll find her eventually!”

“I hope so... You would have liked her! She surely knows the art gallery you are talking about.”

The woman laughed quietly. Tim thought he could hear one of the drivers laugh too. Tim's smile faltered a little.

“So, uh, are you like a patron at the art gallery?” He said, trying to ease the anxiety that was building up in him. “Or are you going to buy a piece?”

“Mmh, you can say that!” She said, tilting her head to the side. “I do have a collection of my own and I love adding to it! But this trip is more about looking than acquiring. Analysing the market, if you will.”

“Uh-huh.” Tim said, pretending to understand, trying not to look too obviously at the fabrics thrown between them. He swore he could see something moving beneath.

“If your friend is a person of culture, I'm sure she's probably there already! Pardon my prying, but was she beautiful?”

“Yes.” Tim sighed. “She was.”

“Then surely she is there! You yourself, dear, are quite handsome too.”

“You flatter me, Miss.”

“Oh, but it's true! Your skin is lovely! I would do _anything_ to have it!”

Tim laughed, but felt goosebumps and cold sweat. His eyes darted on the road and searched for an excuse to leave. The cart was quite far away from his town by then, rolling along the river. In the distance he saw a forest, but much closer were tall stone walls surrounding a small property. Only the top of a roof and the leaves from a few trees peeped out from the top of the walls. He told himself that as soon as they get near it, he will go to it. Say a friend lives there or something.

“Are you quite all right, Tim?” She asked.

“Huh? Y-Yeah! I'm just... worried about my friend.”

“Oh, I understand that, but you ought to be careful. The sun is blazing and you are going to tan by the time we reach our destination. If you scowl and furrow your brows like that, you'll tan all uneven!”

“Ahaha, thank you for the tip, Miss!” God, could this stupid cart go any slower?

“You're very welcome!”

The mule started making noise, undoubtedly tired by the heavy load. Tim couldn't shake off the feeling its wails sounded weird, wrong somehow.

“Looks like it's time to take a break.” The woman said, holding her dress as she got up. Her sleeves covered most of her palms, but Tim still saw her hands for the first time. Her fingers were segmented and held together by something inside, like the joints of dolls.

The woman looked around the mess in the cart and picked a random piece of cloth. “Let's sit in the grass until the mule catches its breath.”

Tim followed the woman, who walked up to the two men. She handed them the cloth and pointed to a spot on the grass in the shade of a tree. The men went to lay down the cloth and the woman followed them. Tim immediately bolted in the other direction towards the walled up house. The mule cried, alerting the three strange people.

Tim reached the high walls and ran around them, searching for an entrance of any sort. He found equally tall wooden gates and banged on them, shouting for help, for whoever's inside to open. The person who opened was a woman.

“Please help me! They'll kill me!” Tim pleaded.

“Come in! Come in!” She said, moving to the side and locking the gates behind him.

Tim looked around as he panted, suddenly noticing all the smells in the air. Inside the walls was a large garden, full to the brim of flowers, bushes and trees. Everywhere he looked he saw roses, lilies, dahlias, peonies, lilacs and irises and heard the buzzing of insects. His nose was assaulted with sweet smells and earth and warmth. In the middle of the garden was the house, a wooden cottage, covered in vines and moss. The only thing visible from outside were the blue sky above and the few currently present clouds. He couldn't hear the three following him or the mule.

“Thank you so much, Miss!” Tim said. “You saved my life!”

“You're welcome!” She smiled.

“Would you mind letting me stay until tomorrow, until those people leave?”

“Not at all!”

“Thank you so much!” Tim sighed, relieved. “My name is Tim.”

“I'm Jane.” The young woman said.

Tim ate the meal Jane prepared for the two of them and lied down on the bed she made for him on a sofa. He told her about Sasha, that he was looking for her, and Jane agreed to let him stay until tomorrow morning. Jane's cottage was cluttered, but charming. She pressed many of her flowers and framed them next to dead insects held up by needles with their wings spread-out, or filled the pages inside books, or dried them in vases, or turned them into tea. He downed the teacup he was given and felt so much calmer and relaxed. He watched Jane quietly humming as she sat back down at her table, returning to the cloth she was embroidering. She was filling in caterpillars with vibrant green and black. They were eating the pink petals of a rose.

“Sasha loves roses. She used to hum too, sometimes...” He said, his eyelids heavy. “She would have loved your garden, Jane... You would have been great friends...” She continued as he dozed off.

Jane continued humming, keeping a watchful eye on him. So roses remind him of Sasha, she thought. She got up from her seat, still humming, and walked up to Tim. She stroked his forehead as she began fully singing, on more than one voice. Jane was a witch. She was not evil, she did not wish to hurt Tim, but she was terribly lonely. Sasha sounded nice, but as Tim said, she had changed drastically.

After Jane finished singing, she went in her garden. She found every rose and ordered them to go back in the ground and to not reveal themselves before Tim and the roses obeyed, for fear of being eaten whole by Jane's bugs. The next morning, she woke up Tim, ate breakfast with him and got to work together in the garden.

Tim diligently looked after the flowers together with Jane. He watered and tended to them all day, then listened to Jane sing in the evening. She made him a matching sun hat and sew him new clothes. He helped her in the kitchen and at pressing the prettiest flowers from their garden. He kept feeling as though he was forgetting something. But what? He had everything he wanted. He made round after round through the garden, searched every corner, but couldn't find whatever he felt the need to look for, whatever that was bugging him. He told Jane about it, but Jane shrugged, said it's probably not that important if he can't remember it. But still he couldn't stop feeling restless.

One day it was so sunny and hot that Tim had to water the garden more to keep it from drying up. Jane was sitting on a bench outside, embroidering, but her head kept drooping and her eyes kept closing. She dozed off, chin on her chest and loom slipping out of her hands. Tim walked up to her and picked it before it fell. Jane was embroidering a bouquet of flowers, red, yellow, orange, crimson, peach-y, rose-y...

Roses!

That's what Tim was looking for!

He made another round through the garden and, sure enough, not a single rose in their garden. Tim thought it was strange. Why didn't Jane plant any roses? And why were tears falling from Tim's eyes? What was happening?

Tim watched the dry earth where his teardrops fell. He saw something move beneath the ground and crack it as it pushed up towards him. Red and pink petals raised up at him and shook the dirt off themselves. Tim looked at them, surprised and confused, when the spell that had been put on him snapped like a thread and he gasped.

“Sasha!” Tim cried out. “I was looking for Sasha!”

The roses swayed in agreement, then froze in place and dove back under the ground. Tim felt a presence behind him and turned around to see Jane.

“You're going to go after her now, aren't you?” She asked. She was pale and shaking, her fists clenched until they turned white. “ _You're going to leave me?_ ”

Tim took a step back, then another, then ran towards the gates. Flowers and shrubs grew out of the ground and blocked his way, wrapping around his arms and legs. Tim pushed through, ripping them and pulling them out along with him. Roses grew and wrapped around him and the gates, thorns digging in his skin, but he kept going, clawing at the gates and prying them open. He pushed through, ripping his clothes and shredding his skin, but getting out.

“No! No! No!” Jane cried out to him. She ripped the flowers and tried to reach the gates, but the roses blocked the way both for her to get out and for Tim to get back in. “Come back! Please come back! I'm so sorry, Tim! Don't leave me! Please don't leave me alone! I'm sorry! Come back!”

Tim ran straight to the forest, adrenaline helping him ignore the pain all over his body and Jane's sobbing from within the walls. He collapsed by a tree and cursed out. His skin was full of holes and some thorns were still inside. Tim cursed out again and touched his face and, to his surprise, felt a long beard. Tim felt his hair and it reached his shoulders. He looked back at the walled property, where the gates were covered by rose bushes. For how long had he been in there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can find me on tumblr as mauvemyheart <3


	2. Chapter 2

Tim's wounds were superficial, they just looked nasty and covered him in dry blood. That and the ripped clothes stained with blood and dirt made for quite a sight to see walking out of the woods in the early hours of the morning. He estimated that he spent the whole spring with Jane and now it was summer. It was so hot, it felt as far as July. He came upon a group of villagers taking a break after working in the fields. One of them, a tall blond man, was sitting close to the woods, playing with the blades of grass. He heard Tim coming from behind and turned to look at him.

“You look awful.” He said.

“Gee, thanks. I had no idea.” Tim snarled. He sighed. “Listen, I am looking for a woman. Her name's Sasha.”

“Names are a very relative thing.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. She's pretty tall, has long hair, wears glasses and she's really pretty, but he's kind of a dick right now. She went missing last winter. Have you seen her?”

“Hmmm...” The man looked away, pensive. “There is a woman with glasses that showed up not long ago in the big city. She's been making quite a ruckus at the royal castle. I don't know if her name is Sasha. We don't really care about the people over there. It's a messy place. But they do provide us with juicy gossip!”

“I'll go check, then. Is it far?”

“Oh, about a day on foot. And you might want to hurry. Tomorrow morning is her wedding.”

“Wedding?!” Tim cried out. He felt as thought he was going to pass out. He sprinted away from the blond man, down the main road. “I have to hurry!”

“Why?” He man asked, getting up.

“To stop this wedding! To tell her I love her!”

“It’s a royal wedding! You can’t just barge in like that!”

“I don’t care!” Tim shouted as he got further and further away.

“Huh.” The man said, then smiled. “Tomorrow will be something else!”

The streets surrounding the cathedral were overflowing with people trying to get even one second's look at the bride. The facade and the stained glass windows were decorated with ceremonial torches, banners and fire-red flowers. Inside, among gold and marble and precious centuries old paintings of saints, an organ solemnly played as the future queen made her way to the altar, walked by her knight. Her dress was made of lace that was as pure white as a dove, in a strong contrast with her bouquet made of burgundy peonies, orange roses and red lilies. Her veil covered her back and the train of her dress too. Her auburn hair was in elaborate braids, filled with golden rings and pearls, and her skin was a lovely, sun-kissed tan. The guests watched enraptured.

She arrived at the altar, before her soon-to-be-husband. He could not stop himself from smiling. The bridesmaids quickly fixed the train and assumed their places at her side, together with the knight. The church went quiet and everyone sat down. The priest took a deep breath as he was about to speak to begin the mass, when the doors flew open and a dishevelled, bearded, wounded, dirty, bloody man shouted “Stop the wedding!” The bride and the groom spun to face him as the knight, looking absolutely livid, drew out her sword.

Tim, who hadn't slept all night, panting and feeling light-headed, upon seeing the bride, dumbly said “Oh. You're not Sasha.” and then immediately collapsed from exhaustion. People screamed in fear and surprise, yelling at one-another to fetch a doctor, that the man just died!

He woke up in a very warm room, under a heavy blanket and feeling something on his face. He reached out a hand and felt that they were bandages.

“Ah, you woke up.” A female voice said.

Tim looked up and saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. From where she was sitting the sun coming through the window made it look like there was a halo of light around her already goddess-like appearance.

“Woah...” Tim said before he could stop himself, then frowned. “You're not Sasha...”

“I'm afraid not, Sir.” She said, smiling kindly. “My name is Agnes Montague.”

“My name is Tim Stoker.” Tim said. “I, uh, I'm sorry for destroying your wedding.”

“Don't fret. Jude was _particularly_ angry at you!” She giggled. “But after we carried you away the wedding continued as planned and the scene was quickly forgotten. You should have seen the reactions to when I overtook the throne, and how fast they got used to it! I think most people already forgot about your entrance. I think people think you have dropped dead.”

“Oh, God. How long have I been out?”

“A couple of days.”

The door opened and the groom came in.

“How is he, dear?” He asked, sitting next to Agnes and looking at Tim.

“He is much better, it seems.” She said and looked at Tim too. “This is Jack Barnabas, my husband and the prince consort.”

“Nice to meet you!” Jack said.

“Thank you for not executing me, Sir.” Tim said.

“Oh, Jude suggested that!” He laughed softly. “But we convinced everyone that you were a madman that died. But you were indeed injured. What happened?”

“Ah, a witch tried to trap me with her forever.” Tim said. “Didn't take it well when I was scared of her.”

“Who is that Sasha you are looking for?” Agnes asked.

“She's my best friend.” Tim sighed. “But something happened to her and she changed. She became a different person. She went missing last winter and I've been trying to look for her, but got held back by that witch.”

“What happened to Sasha?”

“I don't know. One morning something happened and she fell to the ground clutching her chest, but nothing was there. I think it’s something magical. It made her cruel and aggressive, completely changed her.”

Agnes and Jack looked at one-another.

“I think I know what is happening, Tim.” She said.

“You do?” He said, getting up, eyes full of hope.

“You see, Tim, a very long time ago it is believed someone or something broke a mirror. The mirror reflected back the bad. Whether it was a reflection of the truth or the truth backwards, we are not sure. Whether the breaking of the mirror was on purpose or in horror of what was in the reflection, it's too late to argue. The shards flew all across the world and those they cut, they are... _changed_. You can never predict when it will happen and some can never be reversed. They were overcome by fear or became fear itself. Have you ever heard of a story about a man who has a sort of archive?”

“Yes! Sasha told me about it!”

“Well, the story is real. His domain is in a land where there is always winter. His name used to be Jonathan, I believe. He was a prince that was gifted the collection by a man named Jonah, and he became it's full time archivist. Jonathan was a good man, who cared for those around him and who was head-over-heels in love with one of his assistants. But then mirror shards hit him in his eyes and opened them forever. He became obsessed with gathering information, with knowing more and more. It is said that you feel watched wherever you are in his archive. His lover tried to find a solution, but got lost so deeply in the tundra, that not even Jonathan could find him anymore. His heart turned to ice and he locked himself in his domain, going out only when he saw something interesting to add to his collection, or when another person was touched by the mirror shards. He appears to gather others like him. The cold and miserable weather of his land seems to amplify the effects only further. We are not sure what he is doing or planning to do...”

“You think Sasha is there?” Tim asked.

“If not, she will be eventually.” Jack said.

“I'm going.” Tim said, getting out of the bed.

“I can ask an acquaintance to take you safely to the entrance of his domain. You would have to go the rest by foot, however. She and her friends had been touched by the shards too, but found ways to halt it back. Going in the cold might negate all their progress. So would you accept my offer?”

“I thank you so much for it, your Highness. You are too kind.”

Agnes turned to a servant by the door. “Please call over Nikola .”

The servant left and returned a moment later.

“Hellooo!” A sing-song voice rang out behind them.

“Oh, God! Not her!” Tim cried out.

Tim remained (hidden) with Agnes and Jack for a few weeks until they were convinced he was healed and alright to go on such a mission. They were worse than mother-hens. Trees were starting to turn from green to yellow when he was permitted to go. Having been tailored and packed with winter clothes and food, he climbed in the cart. Nikola and the two men all looked completely different, except for their voices. Tim felt “safe” indeed. Agnes explained that Nikola designed her wedding gown and even though she was _covered_ in mirror shards, she was actually a really nice and funny person once you got to know her. Her deviancy to replace her skin every few weeks seemed to stem from the shards.

The coach drivers whipped the mule that was now a donkey and on their merry way they went. They crossed the hills outside the city, the neighbouring villages and were passing a forest. It got dark and Tim lit a lantern, more for himself than for his drivers and the donkey. They didn't seem to need the light.

“So you guys don't talk much, huh?” Tim tried.

“What are talking about?” One of them said.

“We've been talking this entire time.” The other said.

“ _Sure_...” Tim said and decided not to pry any further.

He also tried not to look too much at the trees that surrounded the road. They were so dark the lantern's light wouldn't go through. The snapping of sticks and the ruffling of leaves could have been anything and anyone. Tim sighed and stared at his feet instead. He can do this. He'll do it for Sasha. He'll find a way to bring her back to how she used to be. He closed his eyes and listened to the wheels turning on the dirt road.

His train of thought was interrupted when one of the drivers cried out in pain and fell over on the ground.

“Hope!” The other cried and jumped down to help him, only to be attacked himself. Tim jumped out of the cart and made to run away, but his way was blocked by people threatening him with knives. His arms shot up in surrender.

“I don't have anything of value!” He said quickly. “Just clothes and food!”

“You say that as if that's not important.” A female voice called out from where the drivers lay dead. She walked around the cart to face him. Tim saw a tall and rugged woman dressed in leather, with long hair tied back and a myriad of battle scars. She put a blade beneath Tim's chin. “You're coming with us.”

“Yes, ma'am.” Tim said.

Tim sat on a pelt on the floor of the thieves' den, watching them from afar as they drank and sang, celebrating their good fortune. They tied his hands behind his back, as if he could do anything against them. Their den was kind of a tent city hidden deep in the woods, insulated with furs and woods stolen from carts they robbed. Inside the tents, tied near Tim, was a reindeer with impressive horns and a beautiful saddle on its back. It was very well fed and looked far too docile to be the pet of a road-side criminal.

The woman from earlier came up to him and let herself fall on a chair in front of him. She drank from a bottle as she eyes him up and down.

“Who are you, pretty boy?” She asked. “What business trip were you sent on?”

“I'm not anyone important.” Tim said. “Please let me go.”

“Why are you so eager to leave? Stick around!”

“I've already done took much of that twice before. Believe when I say I am not a person of importance.”

“Then why were are you coming from Queen Agnes' palace? Is she unimportant too?”

“She helped me, but that's all. I'm been on my own since then. Well, I had those two, but you took them out.”

The woman shrugged, as though saying “cést la vie”.

“Where were you heading?” She asked.

“To the Snow King's domain. Ever heard of him?”

“What business do you have with that sad sob?”

“My best friend went missing. A mirror shard hit her in the heart and he might have taken her with him.”

The woman's smile faltered and her expression turned serious.

“I need to find her.” Tim continued.

“You can't.” She said, putting the bottle away.

“I know where she is. And if she's not there, I'll wait until he brings her there.”

“Then what? You can't do anything about a mirror shard.”

“Agnes said some of them can be saved.”

“What makes you think _you_ can save her?”

“I have to try. I can't let Sasha be like that forever. That isn't her!”

The woman went quiet. “What if that is her? What if that's what she's really like?”

“That's not true. I know Sasha, she's not like that.”

“What if you're wrong?” The woman cried out. “What if you were wrong this whole time? What if she doesn't even want to see you anymore! What if she says she regrets meeting you!”

Tim drew his head back in surprise. The woman got off the chair and turned her back to him, looking down and clenching her fists.

“I don't know what will happen when I find Sasha...” Tim continued. “... but I have to do it. I have to help her. I _need_ to help her. I... I love her. Have you ever loved someone so much you would do anything for them?”

The woman spun back towards him and stomped in his direction. Tim scooted back and tried to say something, but the woman pulled out a knife and cut off his restraints. Then she went to the reindeer and untied it. Even the reindeer look surprised. She turned back to Tim and thrust the handles in front of him.

“Take Archer with you. Jonathan's domain is several kilometres away, but my Archer is fast. You'll know you got there by the cold. If you've got really shit luck, it'll be a blizzard.”

Tim looked up at her astonished and accepted the handles.

“Thank you, Miss...?”

“Daisy.” She said.

“Oh.” Tim said. That was the last name he would have given her. “Thank you so much, Daisy.”

Daisy looked at Archer, petting it, as to not make eye-contact. “When you get to Jonathan, if you meet a woman with a headscarf named Basira, tell her I love her. That if she doesn't curse you out first.” She said, smiling.

“I will.” Tim said. “I'll try to bring her back too.”

“Get out of here already.”

Archer dashed through the forest and the fields. Tim did not expect it to be so fast, it felt as though they were flying. The wind running by his ears deafened everything, the trees and the land rolled past his eyes within moments. The air felt colder and colder, Tim could see his breath and soon enough the ground turned a pristine white. Archer was the first to leave tracks in it in a long time.

Archer slowed down to a stop. The two of them looked around, panting and clattering their teeth. The white land seemed to stretch forever into the horizon. There were clusters of pines heavy with snow, little hills and little cliffs here and there, but nothing that looked like someone's residence.

“Do you know where Jonathan lives, Archer?” Tim asked.

The reindeer shook its head.

“Then why the hell did Daisy send me alone with you?” He grumbled.

Archer huffed.

“Whatever, we will figure it out.” Tim said and grabbed back onto Archer's handles. “How hard could it be?” He said, but the more they wandered the desolate tundra, the more Tim wondered what Agnes' plan were and if it were any better than Daisy's at the moment. It felt as though he could wander forever without ever meeting another person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!  
> The next and final chapter will be posted tomorrow around the same time!


	3. Chapter 3

The sun went down, painting the sky yellow and red and pink, and the full moon took its place. It shone so bright the white snow reflected it and it seemed to be as much light as during the day. A wolf howled in the far away distance and Archer grew tense. It howled a few times, the same tone and “voice”. It must be a loner, Tim thought. Or perhaps it got lost from its pack. In such a place, it was easy to feel alone. Tim thought about Jonathan's lover, who got lost trying to help him. He tried not to think about how it ended up hurting Jonathan more. He wondered how Sasha was doing in Jonathan's domain, if she was indeed there. Was she raging against him? Was she insulting him and trying to escape? Would she welcome Tim's help? Or was she scared? Was she alone? Did she miss him back? Or was she like Daisy's lover? Will she be angry at Tim when he finds her?

Tim buried his face in Archer's fur. He held onto his neck too tightly and Archer protested.

“Sorry, buddy.” Tim said, getting up and sniffling.

The moon slowly went down, the sky regaining it's blue colour and the bright white sun that didn't provide any warmth. To Tim and Archer's worry, the sky filled slowly but surely with clouds, turning it white, then grey. Snowflakes started delicately falling from the sky, like little white flowers, but the two knew it would only be like that for a short while. They searched for another cluster of trees or a cliff, but everything was too far away. It seemed to get further and further away the more they marched towards it. The wind grew strong and wild, pushing Archer backwards and freezing them. A blizzard began in the tundra, blinding and deafening all. Tim could barely keep his eyes open, if felt like ice was shoved in them. Snow was gathering on his eyelashes and his skin was so cold it felt like it was going to split and crack open. He could barely breathe, it wouldn't go past his throat. Archer tried to walk forward, antlers first, looking as though he was trying to push through a wall. It didn't feel like they were advancing at all. The poor thing fell in its knees in the snow. Tim climbed off and tried to help it back up, only to fall himself. They lied against each-other, getting covered by more and more snow.

“This is really bad, Archer.” Tim shouted, because it didn't feel like sound could travel any other way. “If this thing doesn't stop soon...”

Archer huffed and lied its head down, defeated.

“If I had a knife I could cut open your belly and hide inside. I don't think it would work, to be honest. I think that's just a myth. And I'd feel too bad to do it.”

Archer mustered what was left of its strength to glare at Tim.

Tim laughed and tried to look in front of them, but all there was was relentless snowfall.

There was a light coming through the blizzard. Tim thought he lost his mind. The light got closer and closer and behind it was a figure in the blizzard.

“Hello?” They asked, voice astonished and concerned. “Are you still alive?”

“Yes, we are!”

“Can you move? Come with me! Quickly!”

Tim and the man helped Archer to its feet and, with difficulty, followed the lead of the mysterious man. He was dressed much more appropriately for that weather, with furs on top of furs and his face almost completely concealed. He guided them to a house made out of wood and ice, like Sasha had read in books. He held the door open for them and Tim and Archer were hit with a blessed wave of warmth. Tim almost fell to his knees in joy. The man took off his many scarves and revealed an equally warm face, round and friendly despite the harshness of the world outside.

“I'm so glad you are all right!” He said. “Please take off your clothes, Sir, and change. Yours won't do over here.”

“Yeah, this trip was kind of impromptu.” Tim laughed, cuddling by the improvised stove. He looked around he man's little house and suddenly realised there was a cow in there. It was lying on the ground, quietly chewing on tree bark, hair covering its eyes. It looked like a wild bovine, with long hair and unpolished, spookier horns. “You have a cow!”

“I do!” The man laughed softly. “Her name is Dorothy.”

“She's cute!” Tim said. “My name is Tim. And that's Archer.”

Archer almost let himself bodily fall against the stove.

“I'm Martin.” The man said. “I'm glad I found you two in time.” He said, petting Archer.

“ _We_ 're glad. You saved our lives.”

“I thought I saw something through the blizzard. I couldn't believe it was real at first.”

“What are you doing here in the middle of nowhere, Martin?” Tim asked.

“Well, I'm kind of stuck here! That's kind of how this place is, unfortunately for us. I got lost and couldn't find my way back. I've been trying to escape every day.”

“... for how long?”

“I lost count, in all honesty! You and Archer are the first people I've seen in years!” Martin laughed nervously.

Tim laughed back, feeling anxious. Please, dear God, don't be like Jane, he thought.

“Are you, uh, the Snow King's lover?” He continued.

Martin's face turned cherry-red. “I-I guess we were, ahaha... I wouldn't say we were an _official_ couple, I mean, he was the prince. Now he's the _king_! It wasn't exactly something we could just put out in the open, aha. I mean, there are plenty of royals with lovers and relationships that are not made public, because come on, let them have some privacy, but it wasn't that Jon and I were _embarrassed_ of it! We were just more private people! Jon's family is kinda messy and so was the court, and he appreciated things being calmer and I helped him with that. I, aha, I don't wanna brag but-”

“So you're his lost lover?” Tim said.

“Uh, yes, I am.”

“Wonderful! Do you think we could manage to get back to him?”

The giddiness on Martin's face faded away. “I'm sorry, Tim. I've been trying for years, but the land won't let me get back to Jon. I think he searched for me himself, but now he thinks I'm dead. I don't blame him...”

“The more the reason to get back to him!”

“Why do you want to go to him?”

“I need to find my friend, Sasha, and bring her back home. Do you know about the mirror shards?”

“I do, they are in Jon's eyes too.”

“Sasha has one in her heart. I need to find her and help her. Please help me, Martin, I can't stop now.” Tim said, eyes watering.

Martin looked at him and smiled. “I'll help you. You love Sasha very much, I can tell. If I have someone else with me, I might be able to get out.”

“All right! Let's go, then!”

“Wait, now? You almost died out there!”

“I feel better now!”

“Oh my God, at least wait for the storm to stop!”

Tim and Martin saddled up and rode outside, on Archer and Dorothy respectively. Dorothy strode like an unstoppable tank through the snow, without any difficulty. Martin told Tim about how they met in the tundra, both lost from their loved ones. Dorothy was still mostly wild, but she allowed to be pet and saddled and at night she came back to him for food and warmth. Martin talked a lot, which was understandable, since he hadn't had a conversation partner in God knows how long. Together the land didn't feel so vast anymore either. Take that, stupid land.

“Martin, tell me about Jonathan.” Tim said, bundled up. “What should I worry about when we meet him?”

“Well, he will stare at you.” Martin said. “It will feel as though he can see your deepest, most private and incriminating thoughts. And the archive is _huge_. It's made entirely of ice. I think he became tethered to it after the mirror shards got his eyes. He started to change physically. His skin got pale as snow.”

“Sasha's did too!”

“The effects of the shards seem to be all negative. They relate to negative things, like cold, hatred, fear, discomfort. I read somewhere that the mirror was shattered for this exact purpose, to spread its dark magic.”

“Why would anyone in their right mind do that?”

“Some people enjoy chaos like that! You said you've been to Queen Agnes' court, didn't you? Have you met Jude?”

“Yeah... I interrupted Agnes and Jack's wedding and she was not happy. But Agnes told her to leave me alone and I tried to stay out of her way.”

“Oh my God... Did Agnes also give you Archer? I didn't know she had reindeer.”

“Nope! It's from a thief who threatened me with a knife.”

“Oh... Is that where you got those scars too?”

“No, those are from a witch that tried to trap me in her house.”

Martin stared at Tim. “How are you still alive?”

“I wonder about it too!”

They walked across the tundra in silence when Martin gasped, making Tim's head whip up. In the distance, rising like another hill, was a castle. It was pure white and blue and reflected the sun beating down on it, almost too blinding to look at. Martin rushed Dorothy to it and Tim and Archer followed in stride. It was more than huge, it was a mountain of a building. It looked like Queen Agnes' castle, but in a different, more Gothic architectural style and made _completely_ out of ice, perfectly polished and smooth and opaque. Tim looked up to the towers and bas-reliefs, mouth open in awe, as Martin stared too, eyes watering from emotion. He simply pushed the gates open and walked inside, almost in a daze. Tim, Archer and Dorothy followed. The ceilings were high and arching, with ice stalactites decorating them like abstract chandeliers. There was a wide white staircase leading up to a door-less entrance, where a blue-lilac light ceiling could be seen. Dorothy and Archer's hooves click-clacked against the ice, echoing around them. Tim and Martin's feet wrapped in leather were muted against the coarse steps. It reminded Tim of the ground on the streets at home, when ice became something like stone. The entrance led to a small balcony overlooking the largest room Tim ever saw in his life. To the side of the balcony was another staircase and on the ground floor where it led was a labyrinth of shelves and storage spaces. Tim couldn't begin to imagine how many things, how many stories were archived there, just the sheer amount of knowledge and curiosities. Sasha would feel in heaven there.

Tim got lost in staring at the room and realised Martin was no longer next to him when he was already walking down. Dorothy was anxious about going down stairs, but she made it. He caught up with him and stayed close as to not get lost. Tim kept wanting to stop and look at everything, stare at everything. Never in his life did he feel so curious and wanting to _know_ stuff. Was this what Sasha felt all the time? It was exhilarating!

“Don't touch anything, Tim!” Martin warned him. "They are all encased in ice, but they can still be dangerous."

“All of them are dangerous?” Tim asked.

“No... Well... Best just look and not touch.”

“Okay, okay. What do we do when we meet Jonathan?”

“I don't know. I don't know what the shard did after all this time. How he'll react to me...”

“It will be! You said Jon loves you. He'll be happy to see your again.”

“I hope too...”

“It'll be fine.” **** ~~~~

Tim's optimism was paused when he heard footsteps coming towards them, fast. They were traversing the maze of shelves, coming decidedly to them. He looked at Martin and Martin was frozen, but not in fear. His eyes were wide and full of hope. Was what he was thinking was happening actually happening?

From behind the shelves appeared a man. Tim took a step back. He was a short man with dark skin with dark hair to his shoulders, turning grey from stress. He was wearing an elegant coat that glistened like ice, that covered his feet, with white fur around his neck and chest. On his head he wore a white crown with a sharp spikes like icicles. The reason Tim took a step back was because of how the title Snow King was not an exaggeration. Jon's skin was tinted blue and purple, as though he was frostbit. His hair and his eyelashes were white with snow. Jonathan's eyes were _open_. He looked as though an explosion took place in front of him, as though he was constantly scared. The frost from his eyelashes gathered in the corners of his eyes and frost flowers formed in the white of his blood-shot eyes.

Jon stared at Martin, eyes wide and breath hitched. Both of them were frozen in place, feeling too much to move. Tim looked between the two of them, unsure what to do, what will happen. In the next moment Jon's eyes filled with tears and he ran towards Martin, jumping in his arms and almost making him fall over. Martin was crying too. The two of them fell to their knees, just holding onto one another and sobbing in the crook of the other's neck.

Tim carefully walked past them, pulling Archer by the handles, and continued walking down the labyrinth, leaving Dorothy with the reunited two. He found the way out of the labyrinth with ease and came across a corridor with several door-less entrances, in the shapes of alcoves. Everything was beautiful and seemingly out of glass. Tim put his head inside each and left once he saw nobody was inside. Some rooms were packed with bookshelves and others had objects displayed in glass cases. For all her knew that was also glass. In one room Tim saw a man wrapped in blankets, sleeping on a sofa. He made sure it was not Sasha and kept searching. In another room he saw what looked like a person underneath a white sheet. He left that one quickly.

In one of the rooms he found a woman. It was not Sasha. She was wearing a headscarf, her dark skin was discoloured and she was sat on an Ottoman, wrapped in a thick blanket. She looked up at him with a scowl, as though saying “what do you want?”

“Basira?” Tim asked.

“How do you know my name?" She asked, narrowing her eyes. “What do you want from me?”

“I, uh, I am looking for someone, you included.”

Basira looked at him up and down. “Who are you?”

“You don't know me. My name is Tim. I met with Daisy.” He said, pulling Archer into view.

“No.” Basira said, getting and turning her back to him. “No. No. No. No. No.”

“She's really worried about you!”

“Stop it!” Basira said, clutching at her head.

“Why don't you want to see her?”

“Because I shouldn't be with her!” Basira shouted. “She's a criminal! She's a thief! She's a murderer! I shouldn't have anything to do with someone like her! It's foolish! It's senseless! Ow, my head!” She fell down on her knees.

“Basira, were you cut by a mirror shard?” He asked, helping her up, already knowing the answer.

“Yes.” She said. “It cut my forehead. Now everything sounds like a bad idea.” She rubbed it, closing her eyes tight. “How did you meet with Daisy?”

“She robbed me and threatened me with a knife.”

“She did _what_?!” Basira shrieked and doubled over, holding her head between her hands. Tim helped her sit back on the Ottoman and wrapped the blanket around her.

“Basira, I have a few questions, if you can answer.” Tim said. Curiosity got the better of him for a moment “Why is there a dead body in the other room?”

“Oh, that?” She opened her eyes back. “Don't worry, he was 80 years old. He died of old age, exacerbated by what the mirror shard did to him. The effect goes away once you die, apparently, and the shard just fall off. It didn't just cut you, it's in you. Jonathan collects them. I think he's trying to rebuild that mirror.” Basira wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. “Those things kill you eventually. We're all waiting to die. It hurts. The cold makes it worse, but Jonathan provides us blankets and thick clothes. He's not trying to kill us, don't worry. This is kind of a like a hospice. He handles it a little better because he lives in the cold, I guess, and will probably outlive us. That old man died a few days after he arrived. He was old, admittedly, but he didn't look that weak.”

Tim's eyes opened wide and his heart pounded in his ears. “There has to be something we can do! You guys can't just sit and wait to die!”

“Do you think we haven't tried? Jonathan would be saved if he had Martin again. The rest of us too, but we've estranged everyone from us. And even if we reconciled, what if it doesn't work? What if it's too late to be saved?”

“You should still try!”

“It _hurts_ , Tim. Everything is so bad since I got hit by the shard. Everything is dangerous. It was before too, but I wasn't so aware of it. If I try to fight it, the shard hurts. It's like trying to clean a wound with salt. Except there's no scientific, physical proof that it will work. If it doesn't work, I'll only feel more miserable, and make Daisy feel like that too for nothing. It's a bad idea all over...” She said, rubbing her forehead.

“Basira, one more question.” He said, voice shaking. “Is there a woman named Sasha here?”

“Sasha...” Basira said, thoughtful. “Ah, yes, there is. She's in the main office at the end of the hallway.”

“Oh, thank you!” He said as he ran away, leaving Archer behind.

He sprinted to the end of the hallway, which opened to another large room. It was a hexagonal room, all white and tinted a greenish blue. There was a large table out of translucent ice in the middle of the room, surrounded by chairs, like the table in a war conference. On the wall opposite to the entrance was the metallic frame of a mirror, old and battered and forced back into shape. Inside were a few shards, like the pieces of a puzzle, reflecting back Tim's shocked face.

Sasha was sitting at one of the chairs. She was white as a corpse and wrapped in two or three blankets. She was staring down at the table, seemingly lost in thought. Tim slowly walked towards her, unsure what to do and his chest tight in concern.

“Sasha...” He called out quietly when he got next to her.

Sasha looked up at him, slow and without energy. She squinted up at him.

“Tim?” She asked, voice barely a whisper. “What are you doing here?”

“I... I came looking for you.” He said, sitting on the chair next to her.

“Why?” She asked, shaking her head dismissively.

“You disappeared. I was so worried for you.”

“What happened to your face?”

“It's a, um, a long story...”

“You got yourself hurt. And for what? For nothing. You're such a fool.”

“I'm certainly a fool, but I didn't do it for nothing.”

“Yes, you did. I'm going to die soon.” She brought a cadaver-like hand up and touched her heart. “You did this for nothing.”

“I did it because I love you, Sasha.” Tim said, reaching to hold her hand.

“It won't save me, you idiot.” Sasha said, moving her hand away from his. “Nothing will work. This is it. I will die. I wasted my time with _fantastical_ stories and flowers, then the universe decided to off me, I was a bitch to everyone, I yelled at my parents, I almost got you killed and now I'll just drop dead. The world will go on without me just as it did while I was here. It'll be better off without me."

“Stop, Sasha.” Tim got off his chair and sat on his knees next to her, wrapping his arms around her. “You won't die. You can't. I need you.” He sobbed. “The world won't just go on. I love you, Sasha. I need you. I didn't stop until I got to you. I would have gotten faster if I could. Oh, I have so many stories to tell you! You have to live to hear them!”

“Stories?” She asked.

“Yes! About skin-stealing monsters and a flower witch and the Queen and a band of thieves! You have to live, Sasha! We'll figure it out! We'll save you!”

“Stop being foolish...”

“You can't die...” Tim cried. “Please, Sasha, please...”

He buried his face against her chest and hugged her tight through the blankets. She felt so cold, as cold as ice, but his head felt on fire, aching from pain and sorrow and anger and fright. He cried in her arms, at a loss of what to do.

Tim felt Sasha wrap her arms around him, hands on his head and hair. He felt her urge him to look up at her. Sasha was looking down at him, lips tight and brows furrowed, holding back tears. Colour returned to her skin and her cheeks were pink like roses. Tim gasped and got up to his feet, no believing what he was seeing. He watched dumbfound as Sasha hurriedly unwrapped the blankets. She hopped up and shook her dress. A piece of glass fell on the ice floor and clattered against it.

Sasha and Tim looked at each-other, smiling like dummies, and she jumped in his arms, laughing and crying at the same time. Their voices echoed around them. Archer caught up with Tim and looked inside the room. The two of them ran to it and hugged it as well, nearly toppling it over.

“Who's this?” Sasha asked, still laughing and happy tears still rolling down her cheeks.

“Archer!” Tim said. “A thief named Daisy lent it to me to get here.”

“This is so cool!”

Basira entered the office, blanket over her shoulders. She made wide eyes when she saw Sasha back to normal. “You saved her!”

“He did!” Sasha said and ran to hug Basira too.

“Oh Gosh!” Basira said, trying to maintain balance.

“You can be saved too, Basira!” Sasha said. “We must get Daisy here! Or you to her!”

“Are you insane?!” Basira said, flustered, feeling another headache incoming.

“Tim was insane too and it worked!” Sasha excitedly said and grabbed him by the arm, shaking him. She turned to him and smiled bright like the sun. Tim smiled back, when she slapped a hand on either side of his face and pulled him into a kiss.

“Tim?” Martin's voice rang from across the hall.

“He's here!” Basira replied, as Tim and Sasha smiled against each-other's faces

Martin and Jon came up to office too. Jon looked better as well. The frost was gone from his skin and his eyes looked a whole lot better.

“Oh my God, is that a _cow_?” Sasha said, letting go of Tim and running to Dorothy.

“Her name is Dorothy!” Jon said.

“ _Oh my God!_ ” Sasha screeched. “Oh God, I'm freezing.” She then said and ran back to Tim. He opened his coat and held it over her as he held her.

“Good God. is this what she is actually like?” Jon said, holding back a laugh. “You would have never guessed.”

“We're going to go back home now.” Tim said, hugging Sasha. “We'll take Basira to Daisy too.”

“Will you pay Queen Agnes a visit as well?” Jon asked.

“Uh, no.” Tim said.

“Why not?” Sasha asked. “I want to meet the Queen too!”

“Daisy kind of killed two of her servants.”

“Oh God...” Basira groaned.

“We'll figure it out when he get there!” Tim said and marched forward, Sasha following his stride without him letting her go. “C'mon, Basira and Archer. Jonathan, Sir, Sasha's shard is... on the floor somewhere. We don't want to see it anymore.”

“I can understand.” He laughed softly. “Have a safe trip, all of you. And thank you for bringing Martin back.”

“Thank you too for keeping Sasha safe.” Tim smiled back at him, then at Sasha. “Thank you so much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!  
> 


End file.
